Broken flange detector for rail cars



March 24, 1942. HARSHMAN 2,277,099

BROKEN FLANGE DETECTOR FOR RAIL CARS Filed July l O, 1946 /a raid 5. Ha nsma 77' ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 24, 1942 Harold n. Harslunan, Tehachapi, Calif.

Application July 10,1940, Serial No. 344,825

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a broken flange detector for rail cars and has for an object to provide a system and apparatus including a. locking relay, an alarm relay controlling an alarm circuit, and detector plates arranged for vertical movement on the inner sides of the rails to be a depressed by unbroken flanges and to be unaffected by broken flanges to control the relays for energizing an alarm when a broken flange passes along the detector plates.

A further object is to provide a system and apparatus of this type in which the left wheel of the cartruck operates a locking relay to detect broken flanges on the right wheel of the truck and vice versa, the system being divided into blocks or units so inter-connected that a broken flange will be positively detected before the wheels roll ofi of the last unit while the train is passing thereover.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this a character which will be formed of a few strong,

simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted towithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a broken flange detector system and apparatus constructed in ac-. cordance with the invention, the electrical connections being shown diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of one of the track rails showing a pair of the detector plates secured to the inner side thereof for vertical movement.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a modified form of the detector plate to permit a broken tread to be detected.

Figure 5 is a modified form of the invention in which the detector plates are housed within a protective casing.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, I designates a track rail to the inner side of which is secured a bearing bracket 2 which slidably receives a vertically disposed pin 3 mounted for limited vertical movement by a guide pin 4 engaged through a slot 5 in the pin 3. A support plate 6 is fixed to the upper end or the pin 3 and superposed upon the plate is a block of insulation I upon which is disposed a metal detector plate 8 which is insulated from the rail by the insulating block I. A- helical spring 3 is sleeved upon the pin 3 and interposed between the support plate 6 and bracket 2 to normally hold the detector plate 8 just below the top of I the rail head.

When a car wheel rolls along the rail l the flange will strike the detecting plate 8 and depress the same so that the wheel will form a bridging electrical conductor from the plate 8 to the rail I. t

For the purpose of clearness the detector plate 8 shown in Figures 2 and 3 has beendesignated l2 and I3 inFigure l to identify right and left detector plates.

There are four detector units A, B, C, and D, shown in the present embodiment-of the invention, so that a broken flange will be detected before a wheel can roll from one endof the detecting device to the other end of the device. Each detector unit includes two relays i0 and H, a right and left detector plate I2 and I3, respectively, the right and left track rails I4 and I5, and the battery IS. The relay ll isva looking relay and the relay I0 is an alarmrelay.

7 Unit A The electrical connections of thevunit A are as follows: 7

One end of the coil of the locking relay II is connected by a. wire I! to the left'detector plate l3. The other end of the coil of the relay II is connected by a wire I8 to a wire I 9 which is connected to the right rail l4. One side of the battery I6 is also connected to the rail l4 by a wire 20. The other side of the battery is connected by a wire 2| to a wire 22 which is connected to a wire 23 which is connected'through aresistance coil 24 to the left detector plate l3. One end of the coil of the alarm relay I0 is connected by a wire 25 tothe right detector plate [2. The other end of the coil of the relay I0 is connected by a wire 26 to a wire 21 which is connected to the wire 2| which leads from one side of the battery. The wire 26 is also connectedto the wire 22 which is connected to the left detector plate 13.

Unit B The electrical connections of the unit B are as follows:

One end of the coil of the locking relay H is connected by a wire 28 to the corresponding leftother end of the coil of the relay I is connected by a wire 3| to the wire 26 which, as previously described, is connected to the wire 21 which is connected to the other side of the battery by the wire 2| and is connected to the wires 22 and 23 which latter is connected through a respective resistance 32 to they corresponding left detector plate I3.

Unit C The electrical connections of the unit C are as follows: I

One end of the coil of the locking relay II is connected by a wire 33 to the corresponding right detector plate l2. The other end of the coilof the relay H is connected by a wire 34 to the before-mentioned wire l8 which is connected to one side of thebattery l6 by the wire l9, left rail |4, and'wire 20. One end of the coil of the alarm relay -||l is connected by a wire 35 to the corresponding left detector plate l3, The other end of the coil of the relay I0 is connected by a wire 36 to the wire 26 which, as previously described, is connected to the wire 21 which is connected to the other side of the battery by the wire 2| and is connected to the wires 22 and 23 which latter wire is connected by a respective resistance 31 to the corresponding right detector plate l2.

Unit D The electrical connections'of the unit D are as follows:

One end of the coil of the locking relay II is connected by a wire 38 to the corresponding right detector plate l2. The other end of the coil of the relay II is connected by a wire 39 to the before-mentioned wire l8 which is connected to one side of .the battery l6 by the wire I9, left rail H and wire 20. One end of the coil of the alarm relay I0 is connected by a wire 40 tothe corresponding left detector plate l3. The other end of the coil of the relay I0 is connected by a wire 4| to the wire 26 which, as previously described, is connectedt'o the wire 21 which is conneeted to the other'side of the battery by the wire 2| and is connected to the wires 22 and 23 "which latter wire is connected by a respective resistance 42 to the corresponding right detector plate ,l2. 4

In operation the locking relays I l are normally energized, for example, in the unit A a circuit may be traced from the negative side of the battery through the wire 2|, wire 22, to common wire 23 through resistance 24 from detector plate |3, wire l1, one end of the coil of the relay II and from the other end of the coil of the relay through the wire I8, wire l9, right rail l4, and wire 20 to the positive side of the battery. This is a closed circuit and it will be shorted by a. perfect left wheel flange cross connecting the detector plate l3 with the rail I since then the current will flow from the negative side of the battery through wire 2|, wire 22, wire 23, resistance 24, detector plate l3, car wheel and axle to the right rail l4, and from the right rail through the wire 20 to the positive side of the battery,

thus shorting out the coil of the relay so that it will become de-energized and the armature thereof will drop. In the event the right wheel flange is broken and the relay l0 de-energized, as will be presently described, the armature of the relay It) can drop and break the alarm circuit at a back contact 9 and extinguish the alarm device, such as a. lamp, connected in the alarm circuit designed by the wires 43 and 44.

If the flange of the right wheel is not broken, however, the coil of the relay ID will be energized as the wheel bridges the right rail I4 and right detector plate |2 to hold the alarm circuit closed and the lamp energized and this closed circuit may be traced from the negative side of the battery through the wire 2|, wire 21, wire 26, coil of the relay l0, wire 25, detector plate I2, perfect wheel, rail l4, wire 20 to the positive side of the battery. In the event the right wheel flange is broken the circuit just traced is broken at the rail l4 and detector plate |2 since the broken flange will not reach the detector plate and the alarm device become extinguished. The utility of the four units, A, B, C, and D, for checking car wheels in mountain territory where the stress and strain to the flange of the wheels is more prevalent than at other points, is as follows:

When a car is in the zone of unitsA and B if a left wheel is broken and the opposite right wheel is perfect on encountering the detector plates l2 and I3, the circuit through the coil of the relay I does not become broken and the circuit of the coil I0 is closed between the detector plate I2 and good flange of the right wheel so that the signal circuit remains energized and the broken flange is not detected. As the train progresses, however, to the zone of units C and D the imperfect flange of the left wheel fails to close the circuit through the coil of the relay l0 and the perfect right wheel shorts the circuit of the coil permitting the armatures of both relays l0 and II to drop and open the alarm circuit so that the broken flange will be detected in the zone of units C and D.

However, if the flange of the right wheel is broken as the car enters the zone of units A and B, assuming that the opposite left wheel is perfect, the circuit through the coil of the relay II is shorted as previously described and the circuit through the coil of the relay I0 is not closed since the wheel with the broken flange does not bridge the detector plate l2 and rail I4, thus permitting the armatures of both the relays l0 and H to drop and break the alarm circuitat the contact 9.

In localities where snow, sand and other debris may be expected it is desirable to shield the detector plates against the damage and to provide for this contingency the detector plates 60 are housed in a casing 6| instead of being exposed on the inside of the rails, and the detector plates are insulated from the casing by blocksof insulation 62. The detector plates are adapted to be placed in the circuit of the car wheels, however, by metallic plungers 63 which are connected by a metallic bar 64, best shown in Figure 6, disposed laterally of the head of the rail 65 on the inside of the rail. The bar 64 is yieldably held to be engaged by the flange through the medium of springs 65 disposed underneath the plungers. The low end of the plungers bear upon respective metal plates 61 which are pivoted intermediate their ends as shown at 68 in the casing and are adapted to contact with the detector plates 63 when the plungers are depressed. The casing is secured to the web of the rail by a bolt 69 and spacer 10.

To permit a broken tread of a car wheel to be detected as well as a broken flange for making a complete check of wheels entering or leaving terminals or yards, as best shown in Figure 4, a detector plate 1| is disposed upon the outer side of the rail 12 and is insulated from the rail by a block of insulation 13. .The

H which is secured to the web of the rail.

block of insulation is carried by a bar it which is secured to a vertically movablepin i to a transverse pin 16. The bar is mounted for limited vertical movement in a supporting bracket The pin is provided with a transverse slot 78 through which a stop pin 19 carried by the bracket is passed to limit vertical movement of the pin under the influence of a helical spring [it which is sleeved on the pin between the bracket Ti and the bar '16.

In localities where snow, sand and other debris may be expected it is desirable to shield the detector plates against damage and to provide for this contingency the detector plates 50 are housed in a casing 65 instead of being exposed on the outside of the rails, and the detector plates are insulated from the casing by blocks of insulation 62. The detector plates are adapted to beplaced on the outside of the rail and extending slightly above the lower face of the head of the rail 65, as best shown in Figure 6, as to construction, and best shown in Figure 4 as to elevation to rail 65 to permit a broken tread of a car wheel to be detected as well as a broken flange for making a complete check of wheels entering orleaving terminals or yards. 53 is yieldably held to be engaged by the flange through the medium of springs 56 disposed underneath the plungers. The low end of the plungers bear upon respective metal plates 61 which are pivoted intermediate their ends as shown at B8 in the casing and are adapted to contact with the detector plates 63 when the plungers are depressed. The casing is secured to the web of the rail by a bolt 89 and spacer it.

Since the operation of the parts has been described as a description of th parts progressed, it is thought the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

l. A railway signal system for detecting broken wheel treads and flanges, comprising track rails, spring pressed detector plates spaced laterally from and slightly below the heads of respective rails, the rails and respective detector plates being bridged by car wheels having unbroken flanges to form circuit closers, a source of electricity,. a locking relay,-a normally closed car wheel controlled circuit including the coil of the relay, a conductor connecting one end of the coil to the detector plate of one rail, a conductor connectihg the last named detector plate with one terminal of the source of electricity, a conductor connecting the other terminal oi the source of electricity with the opposite rail, and a conductor connecting said opposite rail to the other end of the coil, said circuit being shorted through a car axle to the last named rail when a car wheel having an unbroken flange bridges the first named detector plate and the respective rail to deenergize the relay, an alarm circuit, an alarm device The bar in the alarm circuit, an alarm relay having its armature in the alarm circuit, the armature of g the locking relay normally engaging and holding the alarm relay armature in circuit closing position and releasing the alarm relay armature when the locking relay coil is shorted, and a normally open car wheel controlled circuit including the alarm relay coil, a conductor connecting one end of the coil with the first named terminal of the source of electricity and with the first named detector plate, and a conductor connecting the other end of the coil with the other detector plate, the last named circuit being closed when a wheel with an unbroken flange bridges the last named detector plate and. respective rail to maintain the alarm relay armature in circuit closing position after the first named wheel controlled circuit has been shorted but being broken when a wheel with a broken flange fails to bridge the last named detector plate and respective rail and deenergizing the alarm relay to permit the armature thereof to move to open circuit position and deenergize the alarm device.

2. The structure as of claim 1 and in which said spring pressed detector plates each comprise, a casing disposed adjacent to one of the track rails, detector plates insulated from the casing and disposed within the casing, metallic plungers projecting from the casing, a bar connecting the plunger-s adapted tobe disposed laterally of the head of a rail to be encountered by a car wheel, springs connected to the pioneers adapted to move the plungers vertically, and pivoted metal plates having their outer ends engaged by the plungers and their innerends adapted to contact with the detector plates when th plungers are depressed.

. A HAROLD R. HARSHMAN. 

